Other Metro Area Projects

[JFW657]

I couldn't care less about the Applebees or the Domino's... two places I never patronize, but I am hugely excited about the Walmart Neighborhood Grocery.

I love to buy groceries from Walmart, but rarely get to because the two supercenters I live between are just too far to drive to.

Now I'll have both a Super Target & the grocery store half of a super Walmart just a couple of miles or so from my house.

Awesome!!!

'Bout time, too.

[Jernigan]

Yeah, there is some prime space for a small restaurant or two right along Orange Ave.

Looks like they're trying to do just that, too:

Who knows? Maybe we'll get a Red Robin or something there.

I hear Del Taco is trying to make a comeback in the Orlando area.

You may remember a few of them around here back in the 80's.

I didn't mean out parcels....

I meant turning a good amount of that parking lot into vertical structure and adding a garage as warranted with 1st floor retail.

It's ridiculously massive and insane to think that at one point a Publix and an Albertsons essentially shared a parking lot.

Do a google map view of that area and an area in downtown, or even a less dense place like College Park - and compare - side by side, at the same scale...

Out parcels don't even come close to maximizing what is there.

[JFW657]

I kinda doubt Walmart would ever agree to have their storefront hidden behind a parking garage or any other "vertical structure". I see on the real estate sign that outparcels are an option, though. And honestly, I don't really see where the parking lot of the old Albertson's is all that "massive", either. I was just there this morning & drove thru it. It's kinda small, actually & with a Walmart grocery going in there, I think they'll just barely have enough parking. Albertson's was never all that busy, so the current lot was fine for them, but I bet Walmart will be considerably busier than Albertson's ever was. Look at Publix's parking lot. That thing is huge & sometimes it's so full it's hard to find a space.

As for outparcels, I kinda think they'd only be able to put one facing Orange & one other facing Michigan over next to Boston Market. Doubt there's enough spoace to put two facing Orange & still have adequate parking for either.

Even with just one business in each location it would severely limit parking for the Walmart grocery.

[klstorey]

Found this old article about a mixed use project planned for what sounds like this location.

Small mixed-use development planned near SoDo

I was told awhile ago by a retail tenant in SoDo that another developer had approached them to pre-lease in their mixed use development where the Albertson's was. The tenant told me that the renderings they saw involved large palm lined streets that was mix between CityPlace and Winter Park Village but with a mid-rise condo building on one side of the property.

Sadly I suspect that all these plans were forgotten about now, but hopefully something more than just suburban style retail pads and single story strip plazas fill this lot soon.

Does anyone know if the corner lot (a bank I think) is included? If so that means that we may see the first of the Downtown South intersection focal points to be installed.

The Orange/Michigan Vision Plan the city has does call for dense mixed use development for the Albertson's plaza.

[klstorey]

Posted a short entry on the progress of Maitland and Winter Park's City Hall's yesterday.

Coming Soon: The Tit for Tat Double City Halls (Winter Park & Maitland)

Winter Park decided to remodel (for now), Maitland decided to build big.

[aent]

I guess changes to make alafaya more pedestrian friendly may be coming? About time.

http://today.ucf.edu/comments-sought-for-alafaya-trail-project/

[Jernigan]

UCF is considering development on the EAST side of Alafaya - this would be fantastic...

http://www.bizjourna...ic-grocery.html

Edited July 6, 2012 by Downtown Steve

[John Hargrove]

Hmmm that's the east side of Alafaya. West side of campus?

[Jernigan]

Oops - thanks for the catch! Yes, the west side of campus/east of 434. Near the corner of University/Alafaya....which is across the street from the mixed use project that is supposed to replace the long standing strip plaza.

I've said before - that if they really want to urbanize Alafaya, they need to develop on both sides - I think this is huge news that they are even considering it UCF was always pitched as a "bubble" of concentric circles. That design is nice once you've parked your car. But the disconnect from the surrounding housing and retail is pretty tragic when you consider that college students, as a demographic, are healthy and could use their money on better things than driving. Not to mention that the design is bad for business (see businesses near the UCF Arena and football stadium).

[alex]

That would be great. I wasn't able to read the whole article, but I hope they get in on the mixed-use movement. With 1) the mixed-use, dense development happening right across the street and 2) the parking garage behind the proposed lot, this could really be an urban corner. However, only if they really slow down University.

Speaking of the University Shoppes redevelopment, I can across these renderings just now from this site:

(Bigger pics on the page.)

Not perfect, but definitely an improvement. The description reads:

NOW PRE-LEASING: 63,000 SF ground floor retail space below 360 units of student housing. Located at the NWC of University Boulevard and Alafaya Trail.

Complete demolition of existing structure and redevelopment as mixed use retail (only McDonald's will remain). Demolition starting January 2013. Delivery to tenants April 2014. Opening August 2014.

Double loaded surface parking as well as an integrated 10-level parking structure.

Incredible exposure at this major intersection (102,000 vehicles daily).

Easy ingress/egress:

" One full access point with median break on Alafaya Trail

" One limited access point on Alafaya Trail

" Two limited access points on University Boulevard

Irreplaceable location at the main entrance to UCF (56,000 students), across from Central Florida Research Park (9,500 employees), and adjacent to Quadrangle Business Park (1.7 MSF).

[prahaboheme]

Valencia College Building Four - Osceola Campus webcam: http://vcbuilding4.com/webcam.htm

[codypet]

Just read in the June issue of Conway News:

The old Blockbuster Video store at The Market at Southside (Orange & Michigan) is in the process of becoming an Applebee's along with a Domino's Pizza & a tanning salon.

The biggest news though, is that the old Albertson's is slated to become a Walmart Neighborhood Grocery.

http://conwaynews.com/

I hadn't been in Orlando since June, and I was just down last week. WOW!!!! talk about a difference. I didn't know the plaza was going to be renovated, and when I pulled into the parking lot, I swore I was somewhere else. Then I saw New China Buffet...ewww.

[JFW657]

Here's a couple of pics of the new Applebees at Orange & Michigan.

Just opened for business.

Edited August 5, 2012 by JFW657

[spenser1058]

UCF getting interest from developers on organic grocery store concept

http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/blog/2012/08/ucf-getting-interest-from-developers.html

"John Crossman, a retail real estate broker and president of Orlando-based Crossman & Co., said retail is a follower. You can’t say you want an organic grocery store, like a Whole Foods, and just get one. The market conditions have to be right." From his mouth to God's ear - the bane of many a downtown's effort to revitalize summed up in one sentence.

[spenser1058]

East End Market Will House Artisan Cuisine and New Restaurant from Owners of Spanish River Grill

http://www.scottjose...ish-river-grill

This is sounding better and better - Audubon Park is rapidly becoming one of the most interesting intown areas we have.

Edited August 9, 2012 by spenser1058

[prahaboheme]

This has been happening for some time now -- Winter Park urbanization pushing west of Park Ave / Hannibal Square. If Winter Park isn't already the envy of all other Florida cities its size, it will be in the years to come. Winter Park is quickly reaching levels of density more commonly associated with wealthy enclaves in the Northeast like Westchester County.

Projects slated for west Winter Park

http://articles.orla...es-nai-realvest

Edited August 27, 2012 by prahaboheme

[FLClarkKent]

East End Market Will House Artisan Cuisine and New Restaurant from Owners of Spanish River Grill

http://www.scottjose...ish-river-grill

This is sounding better and better - Audubon Park is rapidly becoming one of the most interesting intown areas we have.

Looks like an awesome attention to an already pretty awesome 'hood. Don't recognize the building. Where exactly on Corinne is this?

One of the best things about Audobon Park is that it's grown organically. I think it's interesting to compare the vibrancy of this neighborhood to the rather sleepy "downtown" Baldwin Park just a few minutes up the road.

[prahaboheme]

^On the eastern edge of the Audubon Garden District, about a block from the western edge of Baldwin Park.

[Jernigan]

They now have a sign up in front. It's an old church and the intersection is Corrine and East End (st/ave)

[aent]

The RV/mobile home park across from the super-walmart on 50 in the UCF area may be getting replaced... relatively low density cottage style student housing, they said "There is a decent amount of supply coming to market, but most has been urban infill product. We think having a different shade of product with our cottages should allow us to stand up well in the face of new competition." 221 units, 900 beds, 44 acres

May be similiar in style to this other project they've built

Also in the UCF area, the new greek houses and academic villages are on there way: http://www.housing.ucf.edu/construction/greekhousing/

[rich305]

The RV/mobile home park across from the super-walmart on 50 in the UCF area may be getting replaced... relatively low density cottage style student housing, they said "There is a decent amount of supply coming to market, but most has been urban infill product. We think having a different shade of product with our cottages should allow us to stand up well in the face of new competition." 221 units, 900 beds, 44 acres

May be similiar in style to this other project they've built

Also in the UCF area, the new greek houses and academic villages are on there way: http://www.housing.u...n/greekhousing/

And the parking garage for AVII

http://www.pgal.com/portfolio/university-of-central-florida-academic-village-par/

[spenser1058]

I missed this somehow, but it seems Dr. Phillips Charities moved their longtime downtown headquarters out to the 'burbs. Sorry to see them leave downtown, but it makes sense given they moved to, um, Dr. Phillips and their space downtown was cramped.

http://www.bdcnetwork.com/dr-phillips-charities-headquarters-building-receives-leed-silver

Edited September 9, 2012 by spenser1058

[smileguy]

I missed this somehow, but it seems Dr. Phillips Charities moved their longtime downtown headquarters out to the 'burbs. Sorry to see them leave downtown, but it makes sense given they moved to, um, Dr. Phillips and their space downtown was cramped.

http://www.bdcnetwor...ves-leed-silver

They are a private foundation, but its sad to see money set aside to better the community go into such a lavish administrative compound.

[spenser1058]

While awaiting the new Hampton Inn to open in November (NSB's first new beachside hotel in years), I haven't spent as much time as usual at New Smyrna. As a result, I had forgotten there was a redo of the Flagler Avenue approach to the beach underway and it's an awesome improvement. If you're a fan of old-fashioned beach towns, NSB is definitely a prize and is also one of the more historic towns in the area as well.

http://www.myhometownnews.net/index.php?id=94404

[prahaboheme]

Winter Park Library has a bird's eye view of the Rollin's Alfond Inn construction site. Check out their facebook page for updates: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151039294134687.440762.101585599686&type=3#!/media/set/?set=a.10151039294134687.440762.101585599686&type=3